Saturday, May 29, 2004

This is a “shout out” to my friend Boy. He has gotten accepted into all the schools to which he sent applications. He has a love for language and the art of poetry. He recently shared with me a possible dream of becoming an English teacher at Belmont High School. Blessing on whatever path God would lead you to take. Keep growing in Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom.

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Some celebrations mark by their substance something of what we pray for: “The Kingdom of God”. The range of people and backgrounds, diverse histories and cultures that came to our home to celebrate Steve Scharf’s birthday and his engagement to be married to Sandy was a wonder in itself to behold. What was more important was the quality of love shared among us all – I John 1 fleshed out. Love this deep (Ephesians 3:14-21) is the tangible reward of pursuing God’s reign in our lives.

Monday, May 24, 2004

Confussion is not an end point... rather part of a real process of searching and asking questions. We act on our limited understanding at any given point in time. We must act on our convictions even though we "see through a glass dimly"...and our actions have consequences.

All roads do not lead to Rome...

Nor are all paths equally good...

"The Content and Quality of Our lives are built on the Content and Quality of Our Relationships with God, Ourselves, One Another, and the Environment".

Our collective human condition desperately needs re-examination. I too take out the trash knowing that it will go to a landfill... I need a better wisdom to do better than this...

Good religion allows us to probe our lives with depth and honesty... and wrestle with our true condition... without flattery...

There are many voices... but each one of us will choose a voice and will walk a path...

Trust is evident when people are willing to share with you secrets and know that those secrets will be kept sacred.

Sometimes it means that those who are addicted to something will show you what they are addicted to... and will test your reaction to the facts.

Sometimes it means that memories from the past come out that no one else can know.

It is easy to say "Love the sinner and hate the sin". It is harder to do.

Here are a few things that I have learned to do that has gone a long way in helping to really learn how to get to the love part:

1. Bless the good that you see in every person.

2. Learn to ask simple but basic questions that can let you demonstrate that you have a capacity to listen. Then really listen. (Still working hard on this one...)

3. Food and drink in scripture is connected to loving our enemies and hospitality. Generosity goes a long way in establishing new lines of trust. You can bring the coffee and the Hot wings to the next sports party.

4. "Where your treasure is ... there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6)... you cannot fake this... people want and need love... Learn to love people and use things rather than loving things and using people.

Once we have earned people's trust... Than we can with humility help people get in touch with the consequences of sin... exposing it for what it really is... A form of slavery that leads ultimately to many different proximates of death and death itself. Remeber that Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit and God tends to be inclusive in this process of conviction and transformation. There is a reason that the best person to reach an addict is an x-addict. Do not distance yourself from being part of the human condition. And don't forget that people need to here about Jesus multiple times and in different ways. They need to see demonstrations of Christ's life at work within you. Most people hear about Jesus over 7 times from 3 or more people before they make a decision for or against following God.

The level of trust and love we really have for each other and others will often guide others response to our message of "Good News". I John 1!

Willie and I had the privelege of going to this conference together. He captures the core thoughts and info presented very concisely in his blog.

We now have a large number of homeless women and children on the streets. This is not the way for any child to grow up. These are the ones who for whatever reason are not making it from welfare to work. These are the ones that are being priced out of the housing market. We can do something about it or let ourselves develop another group of "untouchables" that Jesus would identify with... "The quality of our government and it's practices will be judged and measured by how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable in our society".

Monday, May 17, 2004

For this update we will focus on two items — our mentoring initiative and the relocation of our friend Willie.

Mentoring Update:

These past months, during spring semester, we have been working with a small group of young adults who are in community college. Our plan was to mentor them while they in turn mentored and tutored younger children in the neighborhood. In exchange, they receive scholarship money to help buy college books. We believe that the hope of neighborhoods is when the youth become leaders in their own neighborhoods, passing on to the next generation what they are learning.

Once a week (sometimes twice) the young adult mentors attend one of our tutoring sites to help the younger ones with school. Last week, one mentor was delighted to see how much progress Danny had made since they have started working together. Just as important, these young adults are role models for the younger ones, modeling good choices for their future.

Once a month we (InnerCHANGE staff) meet with them as a group for capacity building — training for tutoring and also spiritual input. We have had wonderful times together. The scheduled time is two hours, but they usually stay late into the night to talk with us, often with questions about spiritual things, trying to understand what it means to follow God. One young woman has made a decision to follow Christ, and two are very close to that. As we finish the semester, we will give each of them a copy of Don Postema’s “Space for God” to help them keep growing. Two of them will be moving into a discipleship house run by our friends at the local Evangelical Free Church. All of them hope to keep tutoring.

Willie’s Relocation:

Relocation is costly, as anyone who has moved knows. But relocation from prison to life on the outside is not only costly but presents unique challenges. On March 31, our friend Willie was released from Avenal State Prison. He was given $200.00. If John had not picked him up, he would have been put on a Greyhound bus and sent to LA. The Greyhound station is next to skid row, so this is where he would have landed.

We have known Willie for 10 years, since John’s first summer in LA when Willie was living on the streets and John did Bible studies with him at the local bus stop. A lot has happened in 10 years, too long to go into here, but Willie has grown a lot in the past years. He has demonstrated a commitment to sobriety, is looking for a church home, and is sharing his faith with others.

But where do you live and how do you find work if you have no references for housing or jobs??
With the help of faith partners and family, were able to help Will find a room. At $182.00 a week, it is no bargain, but the best that is available without references. He is grateful for a temporary job for two months that pays $7.00 an hour, cleaning up after a construction crew. John has supported his desire to try to start a small business selling things on ebay to supplement his low pay. Will is especially interested in selling Christian CDs, so if you have any you would like to donate, please send them to our P.O. Box.

Thank you for all the ways you have provided for us. We are enjoying the privilege of extending demonstrations of love and words of faith without immediate financial burdens. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

First I want to thank all that came out to Maggee's Donut Shop. It was a big Surprise. I am learning to pay closer attention to the gift of every life and the gift of every day.

Thanks for the card that said "Birthday Blessings" & "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace." Romans 15:13 This is the point of life. To Actually be filled with the source of life... which comes from God and is manifested in Joy, Peace, and Love.